Marys Seacole

“Scene One: Mary Seacole stands before us. If you don’t know who she is, well, look her the f*k up.”

Mary Seacole was the pioneering Jamaican nurse who bravely voyaged to heal soldiers in the Crimean War. She was a traveller, a hotelier and a businesswoman. She was the most impressive woman you’ve ever met. Putting the concept of a biopic through a kaleidoscope, Marys Seacole is a dazzling exploration, across oceans and eras, of what it means to be a woman who is paid to care, and how, ultimately, no one is in charge of their own story. Directed by Nadia Latif, the UK premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Jackie Sibblies Drury’s celebrated new play reunites the team behind her critically-acclaimed Fairview in 2019.

CAPTIONED PERFORMANCE Monday 23 May, 7.30pm

AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE Saturday 21 May, 2.30pm, touch tour at 1pm

BSL PERFORMANCE Monday 30 May, 7.30pm

RELAXED PERFORMANCE Thursday 26 May, 11.30am

Mary Seacole was an ambitious Jamaican woman who risked it all. She sailed across the seas. She served during the war. She cared for her peers. But who is Mary Seacole? Find out more about the great woman, Mary Seacole, in Marys Seacole at the Donmar Warehouse. Book Marys Seacole tickets in London on TodayTix.

Throughout the Marys Seacole play, audiences meet the titular pioneer at different aspects of her life. Her daring adventures and intrepid journeys made her stand out unlike any woman during her era. At times when Seacole travelled, she was also paid to care. But while Seacole looked out for others, was anyone looking out for her? During the play, it becomes apparent that nobody is in charge of their own story. See how Seacole tried to write her own narrative.

Nadia Latif directs the UK premiere of Marys Seacole in London at the Donmar Warehouse. The historical biopic is turned on its head in this revolutionary play. Book Marys Seacole tickets in London on TodayTix.

What to Watch For

• The Marys Seacole play is by Pulitzer-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury. Her previous plays include Fairview, which was staged at the Young Vic in 2019, Social Creatures and Really.
• Mary Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1805. She passed away in London at the age of 76.
• A statue dedicated to Mary Seacole is located at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. It’s the first statue deidcated to a Black woman in the United Kingdom.
• Many people will know of Mary Seacole ahead of seeing Marys Seacole in London from the Crimean War. The Crimean War lasted from 1853 - 1856.